OAKLAND, Calif. — The official transaction made Thursday morning is Derek Holland to the 15-day disabled list with left shoulder fatigue.
Technically, that’s correct, but the Texas Rangers could have selected any body part. They’re all fatigued because of the stomach virus that has weakened Holland over the past two weeks.The move, made before the finale of a four-game series against Oakland, is the safest thing the Rangers believe they could have done to protect Holland from a serious injury.He was flown back to Arlington and will see Dr. Keith Meister today. Meister will provide an orthopedic exam, but Holland will also undergo a battery of tests to get a better read on his general health.“He’s experiencing some fatigue in his shoulder,” manager Ron Washington said. “Because his body was fatigued, that could have caused it. We’re going to have Dr. Meister do whatever he has to do to give us some certainty as to what we’re dealing with.” Alexi Ogando will start Sunday for Holland, and the Rangers purchased the contract of fellow right-hander Tanner Scheppers from Triple A Round Rock.Ogando, an All-Star as a starter last season, believes he can throw around 60 pitches at San Francisco despite having been a reliever all season. He pitched Tuesday against the A’s and threw 30 pitches over 1 2/3 innings. Ogando leads all Rangers relievers this season with 31 2/3 innings. “I’m getting the opportunity to start, which is something I like to do,” Ogando said. “I understand I have to crawl before I walk and that I need to build it up. Right now, I’m just going to take it one start at a time.”Washington said that he would prefer to keep Roy Oswalt on his schedule as he readies for the Scott Feldman/Neftali Feliz spot in the rotation. Oswalt was scheduled to start Thursday for Round Rock and work three or four innings. He would need at least one more start before Washington would want to consider him for the Rangers’ rotation.“My intent is for him to come here ready to do what he has to do to pitch,” Washington said. “My thinking is he’ll stay on schedule.” Holland worked 51/3 innings Tuesday and was the winning pitcher in a 6-3 victory. He took a shutout into the fifth inning, but surrendered homers to 2 of 3 hitters spanning the fifth and sixth.In the sixth, his velocity dipped into the upper 80s, and Washington said that Holland was as pale as a ghost when he was removed from the game.Holland, though, went through his normal workout Wednesday, and said that he was feeling better and expected to make his next start. “There wasn’t much of a change,” Washington said. “We went to make sure of what it is and give him a chance to recover fully.”Are you worried about the Rangers?
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